A ripple in development? - Channel Research

However, there are exceptions in both approaches (owner driven
and close NGO involvement). For instance, in the early stages of reconstruction
in the Maldives, UNDP/UN-Habitat’s programme ran into
problems when communities were fearful that they would not be able to
rebuild their houses without assistance and the programme risked
foundering on community dissatisfaction. Progressive and patient guidance,
supervision of the planning and technical assistance to the communities,
played a large part in assuaging dissatisfaction, and the programme
was successfully completed ahead of most of those that had
adopted the ‘donor-driven’ approach.
In Aceh and Sri Lanka, community dissatisfaction with the work of
contractors is high in some locations, but they have had so little contact
with the original aid agency they have no recourse for their complaints.
In Sri Lanka there is more trust and faith in aid agencies that were
present in communities prior to the tsunami. Criticism is levelled against
aid agencies with a lack of long-term commitment, something which
their local interlocutors detect rapidly from the planning timeframes of
projects. The departure of relief agencies and handover to more development
oriented agencies has contributed to a better relationship to the
affected populations.
4.7 Conclusion
Community solidarity and the rehabilitation of social fabric should be
seen as one of the most striking aspects of the reconstruction phase,
especially when compared to the related issues of capacity building and
livelihoods promotion. The LRRD1 study had noted that there was a
risk of increased conflict between affected populations and their community
leaders, due to the brokering role and privileges that the early
relief phase had given the latter. Over time however there had been an
adjustment to better intra-community targeting, leading instead to leaders
feeling left out.
While a return to optimal conditions has undoubtedly taken place
(optimal in relation to the prevalence of conflict in many of the tsunami
affected areas), this evaluation has identified a significant contribution
made by recovery efforts undertaken by the authorities, civil society and
international actors when they were well-integrated:
• Integrated approaches are the most conducive to the restoration of
social fabric, in particular when psycho-social support, infrastructure
investment and consultative approaches are combined;
• Initiatives that strengthen the participation of women (such as
trauma healing, changes to lifestyle for disaster risk reduction such as
the buffer zones, and housing design), acknowledge local cultural
norms, and take account of the resources available to the local
administration, yield better results in social rehabilitation;
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